Submersible heater with heated fuel valve



Jan. 19,

J. KOHORST 3,166,067

SUBMERSIBLE HEATER WITH HEATED FUEL VALVE Filed April 1, 1963 I l l l iE 24 i i i V y, i; 5 g I: g 6 6'4 4 ,I' {v? 6 \t 56 54 z a V NIP 36INVENTOR J 06 EPH Kai/0P6 7' ayw 3 9 ATTOAPNEY United States PatentOfiice 3,166,067 V SUBMERSIBLE HEATER WITH HEATED FUEL VALVE.losephKohorst, Rte. 1, .Arcadia, Iowa Filed Apr. 1, 1963, Ser. No.269,386

12 Claims. (Cl. 126-360) In the type of heater unit used in the deviceshown in such patent, fuel oil is burned and since the entire heater islocated out-of-doorsto keep watering tanksfrom freezing in a well-knownmanner, I have found that considerable difliculty is encountered attimes in maintaining a properly adjusted flow of fuel. For example, if aneedle valve control is finely adjusted for a proper fuel flow or dripat or about freezing temperature, a sudden drop in temperature asfrequently occurs overnight will so thicken the fuel oil that the fuelsupply to .the burner either becomes wholly inadequate or more likelywill cease altogether; Likewise a fuel flow control adjusted toextremely cold temperatures will provide too much fuel whentemperatures-rise materially, and since it is not always convenient ordesirable to inspect and adjust the fuel control with each suchtemperature fluctuation, I have overcome this problem by this inventionfor which While heater 10 may be used \as a room heater, if ,desired, itwas especially designed for use as a tank heater to keep water fromfreezing in out-of-doors animal watering troughs and it is in connectionwith this use and purpose that valve 12 has particular-utility, althoughit will be appreciated as this descriptionproceeds that it is notlimited thereto from the standpoint of an efficient fuel flowcontrol'device.

Heater 10 includes generallya housing 14 which, when used as'a tankheater, will'be submerged in water to be heated and includes thevupstanding, stacks 16 and '18 which are used for draft'control in amanner not portant to this disclosure; A clamp '20 on stack 18 .pro.vides means for attaching heater 10 to a watering trough or tank (notshown). A third stack 22 on housing 14' provides a means of access to.the interior of the housing and for communication with a combustionchamber or one of the important objects is to providea new needlevalveconstruction which is heated and thus not only eliminates anyeffect on the-needle valve itself from changes in ambient temperature,but also provides heat to the fuel oil for proper flow irrespective ofthe surrounding temperature. Anotherimportant object contemplates' 'theprovision of a needle valve of the above class which has a portion ofits structure: in contact with a heated portion of the tion.

A. further feature of the present invention resides in a needle valveconstruction as characterized ,wherein the needle valve, controlassembly is interposed in a fuel line at a point remote from thedischarge end of such line.

Further objects and the more obvious advantagesof the invention willbermentioned or else appear plainly from the description which follows.i To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein,or be-hereinafter pointed outfreference is' 'rnade to the. accompanyingdrawings forming a part hereof, [in which: 7

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heater unit with my 7 new needle,valve associated therewith, theheater being view of this invention, andv a. t-

1 FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section viewtaken on the line 33 ofFIG. -2. Y Y

Referring to the drawings, the heater designated gem heater unit so asto receive heat therefrom by conduc-' burner unit locatedtherein andindicated. generally by.

,ply heat to housing 14,,In'this regard while any suitable heater maybeemployed fortheating housing '14, I have found the device described inmyU.S. .Patent No. 3,021,83310 be very satisfactory. The source of heatfor unit 10 is the burning of fuel oil for which a supply tank is shownat 24 adjustably carried by brackets 26 which are attached to stack 16.It will thus be appre ciatedfrom the description so far that the fuelreservoir 24 and fuel line for delivering fuel through stack 22 to the.burnerassembly are exposed to the atmosphere and thus subject'towhatever temperature conditions are, pres-' ent and it is alsopointedout that when housing 14 is submerged as indicatedwabove, theexact levelfof the water relative toheater lt) is notmaterial so long asit is not highenough to overflow stack 22. Since the heater unit It) byits very purpose described is'us ed only-when freezing temperatures areprevalent, the difficulties of proper fuel flow control as outlined arepresent. a In-overcomingtthis problem, I have devised my new needlevalve assembly 12 which I will now describe. As: sembly 12 -includes anelongated vertically disposed' fuel flow line or conduit 28 of pipe ortubing-material having a branch line 30 intermediate the endstliereof,said line 30 being provided with a suitable fitting 32 for flow con.-nection to the fuel supply: tank or reservoir 24 in awellknown manner.The'lowe'r end of line 28 is removably connected to one end of acollar-like coupling orfitting 34 and to the other end of fitting 34there issimilarly secured a'conduit extension 36 of like size andmaterial directed cap 33 that-is provided with a funnel-shaped ortapered opening 40.

Conduit extension 36, at a point below fitting 34,"de;

'- fines a U-shape curve '42,-b eing either bent or otherwise '36 whichextends upwardly to point 46 inspa'ced parallel erally by the numeral10. is shown to'illustrate the type or characterof heatingtdevice' withwhich mynewlneedle valve assembly 12 is used, and for purposes of thisappli- 3,D21;833. 'I shall, however, refer to andidentify certainstructural portions of heater 10whicl'i arecommon the plane of point 42.

so formed as to provide avertical'le ngth 44 of conduit relationship toconduit portion 28. At point 46, conduit '36 isfurther bent or turned toextend horizontally as at 48 away from conduit'portions 36 and 44 topoint 50 where it is further bent or turned to extend downwardly in spacedparallel relationship to conduitportions 36''and 44- andterminates' inits discharge end *defined iby cap 38, the plane of opening 40 on cap 38being" higher than Within the coupling or fitting 34 there is mounted aneedlevalve valve seat '54 (FIG. 3) of well-known con; struction whichincludes:the-restricted fuel passageway I 56 communicating with conduitextension 36;- A cap 58 is removably attached to the upper end ofconduit 28 and v to devices of this type and with which valve 12cooperates as will later appear;

is provided with the vent hole 60'for'the, escape-of air if necessary'soas not toimpede the flow of oil from tank 24. An elongated needlevalve-62 isjournaledwithcom Patented Jan. 1 9, 1965; v

1 duit' 28,; having its needle 7 same willbe-appreciated;

' eluded within their scope,

In the use andlopenation of valve assembly 12 as de-,

cribed,-the same is-mounted on heater unit 10 as shown in FIG. 1.In-this respect, fitting- 32 on branch conduit 30 is attached toreservoir 24for a gravity flow feed of fuel.

in valve assembly 12. The operating knob, 68 will extend upwardly forconvenient access and manual manipulae tion and the point'l42 ofassernbly12will rest upon, theup- 7 persurfaceof hou'sing 14 closelyadjacent butexteriorly of stack 22. Length 44'of conduit extension36rwill'also point 64 extending to valve ing in a tank or trough, saidheater having a submersible housing, a fuel oil burner means for heatingsaid housbe disposed exteriorly of stack 22 and length 52 of'such Iconduit extension will extend axially intorst ack 22 so that opening 40is'properly located" for delivering to the burner unit located therein.

assembly 12 is placedlas shown and in the bottom 'of such enclosurethere are parallel ."spaced stop bars 74 extending parallel to thelongitudinal axistofhousing 14' which providea restricted track in whichLt portion 42 of assembly 12 is seated. The purpose of's'uch bars 74 is'to-embrace the 'U portion 42. and thereby prevent such portion frombecoming accidentally slid or moved transversely of the longitudinalaxis offlhousing 14 so as to affectthe desired axial alignment of.opening 40 .within stack 22; In this regardJ-the 'slidabilityofreservoir 24 on' brackets 26; afiordsImeans for adjusting the alignmentof length'52 of conduit 36within stack 22 in a direction parallel totthelongitudinal axis. of

housing 14. A drain opening 76 isprovided in one side,

of enclosure'72 near the bottom thereof tto facilitate the drainingofwater'therefro'm whenever the unit 10" may It is pointed out that theplane of length ,48 of conduit 7 36 is below the, plane of the branchline 30gand willqthus be below'th e bottom of reservoir 24 so thatgravity feed through opening 40 is not affected by the upward travel offuel through conduit length" 44. It' will be appreciated thatlwithtassembly 12 ticularly in the areaof couplingfi l will bewell heated sothat the metal in the needle" valve and valveseat will V not bematerially afiected by changes in outside temperaturesQ Likewise thefuel oil'within'assembly 12 is warmed or heated sufiicientlyto assureproper flow by using material for assembly 12..that is highly.conductive of heat, it is apparent that some heat" is of coursetransmitted to reservoir 24', By the use offenclosure'lL' t thelowerportion ofconduitIZS, length and the r'ieedle valve structure infitting'34 arejalljacketed infabody of heated w'ater'which increases theportion j'of assembly fuel oil} 7 2Q Preferably I secure open top shieldor'guard enclosure 72 to housing 14 adjacent stack 22in which valve:

, V .in direct I contact with housingl at point 42 the assembly 12, pariV 2. Ina-heater unit of the type'designed foruse out-- be removed fromatwatering tank for storage or repairs. i I 7' 4O Q ing and a fuel oilreservoir exposed to the atmosphere, the combination. therewith of animproved needle valve assembly comprising: 7

a fuel oil flow line connected for flow communication to said reservoirand having a discharge end disposed in operable relationship relative tosaid bu rner means, i

a needle valve seat in said flow line,

a needle valve in saidflow line operable with said- "valve seat and withmanual means foradjusting the same,

said'flow line being provided with a vent opening, and

means positioning a portion ofsaid flow line in direct contact with aportion of said housing to receive heat therefrom by conduction forheating said valve at; f"

of-doors incold temperatures to keep water from freezing in a tank ortrough, said heater having a submersible housing, a fuel oil burnermeans for heating saidhous ing and a fuel'oil reservoir exposed to theatmosphere;

the combination therewith of an improved needlevalveassemblycomprisingz" a fuel oil ,fiow line connected forflowcommunication to said reservoir and havinga discharge end 'dis-.

posed in operable relationship relative tosaid'burn 1 er means,

7 a' needle valve seat infsaid iiowline intermediate the a n th r o 1 a,needle valve in said fiow line operable-'withs'aid valve fseat and withmanual means for adjusting the Jsame," 1 r 1 7 a said; flow 'linebeingproyided with a vent o'peningf'and a portion of said "fiow' lineadjacent the" location of said needle valve-seat being inpdirect contactwith aportion of said housing to receive heat therefrom byconduction forheating said .valve seat) 7 of-doors in cold temperatures totk'e'e'pwater'from freez housing 'an 'enclosed fuelioil burner'means for heatingsaid housingand a fuel oil reservoirexposed to the atmosphere, thecombination therewith of an improved 7 12 exposedto' a source of hcatand thereby increas es the,

efliciencypof operation'of the fuel flow control.

From the iforegoing description'it 's thought that af} V Ittwill beunderstood that thephraseol'ogy employed, herein is for the purpose ofdescription and not fon'limi-j tation andtha't modifications and changesin lthe cone to cover by the claims, anymodified-forms of structureortmechanical equivalents which maybe reasonably in;

7 unitof the;type designedifor use outQ o of-doors? inf i coldtemperatures tofl keep water from freez g 1 full understanding of theconstruction and'opera'tion of this invention will be had andithefadvantages-'oftthe-t -Qaneedle valve seat in said flow line,

ing in a tank or trough, said heater having a'sub'mersible needle-valveassemblytcomprisingz V I t a a fuel oil flowv lineconnected for flowcommunication posted ,within said enclosed, burner means for operablerelationship relative thereto,

a needle, valve iinsaid flowvline operable. with s me} a V 7 t v r a dfli i e bei p o e w a n op g, and

1 means positioning a portionof saidflow line .exter iorlyt a 1 of saidenclosed burnermeans indirect contact'with v a portion of saidhousingtorreceive heat therefrom byqconduotion for heating said valve seat. 4.In a heater .uniLof' the type .designedfor use 1 housing, a fuel i oilburnerrneans for heating. said hous- 'ing and a fuel oilreservoirexposedto theatmosphere,

; struction and arrangement of this invention can be made 7. within thescope of what-fist claimed, without departing} I" from the spiritandpurpose'thereof. Itisthus'intended I ithe combinationtherewithfofanimprovedneedle valve assembly comprising:

'- afueloil flow line-connectedfor flow communication I to said'reservoir and "having a' discharge end disrelationshiprelative to saidburn-a 1 posed in operable 'ermean 11,. A a'needle-valveseat'insaidflowline,

, .a needle 'yalye in said flowtline operable with v v lve seat and;with manual meansfor adjusting thesame,

3. In aheater unit of the'typedesigned for usev outto said reservoir andhaying 'a discharge and dis-.

, valve seat and with inanual'means for'adjusting'the,

ofu -f t of-doorsl in cold temperatures; to keep water from freez' 1'ing'in a tank or trough, said heater having a submersible saidflowlineibeing provided azyt nt opvening fand I means positioning aportion of said flow line in direct contactwith a portion of theexterior of said housing to receive heat therefrom by conduction forheating said valve seat. 5. In a heater unit of the type designed foruse outof-doors in cold temperatures to keep Water from freezing in atank or trough, said heater having a submersible housing, an enclosedfuel oil burner means for heating said housing and a fuel oil reservoirexposed to the atmosphere, the combination therewith of an improvedneedle valve assembly comprising:

a fuel oil flow line connected for flow communication to said reservoirand having a discharge end disposed within said enclosed burner meansfor operable relationship relative thereto,

a needle valve seat in said flow line,

a needle valve in said flow line operable with said valve seat and withmanual means for adjusting the same,

said flow line being provided with a vent opening, and

means positioning a portion of said flow line exteriorly of saidenclosed burner means in direct contact with a portion of the exteriorof said housing to receive heat therefrom by conduction for heating saidvalve seat.

6. In a heater unit of the type designed for use outof-doors in coldtemperatures to keep water from freezing in a tank or trough, saidheater having a submersible housing, a fuel oil burner means for heatingsaid housing and a fuel oil reservoir exposed to the atmosphere,

to said burner means,

the other end of said flow line being provided with a vent opening,

a needle valve seat in said flow line intermediate said dischargeopening and said point of connection to said reservoir,

a needle valve in. said flow line operable with said valve seat, saidneedle valve including an elongated shank projecting from said other endof said flow line, manually operable control means on said projectingend of said needle valve, and 7 means positioning a portion of said flowline. in direct contact with a portion of said housing to receive heattherefrom by conduction for heating said valv seat. a 7. A device asdefined in claim 6 wherein: i a an enclosure surrounds said burnermeans,

said discharge opening in said flow line is within said enclosure, andthe point of contact of said flow line with said housing is exteriorlyof said enclosure. 8. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein the pointof contact of said flow line with said housing is adjacent the locationof said valve seat.

9. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein said flow line contacts theexterior of said housing.

10. A device as defined in claim 6 including means on a fuel oil fiowline connected for flow communication to said reservoir and having adischarge end disposed in operable relationship relative to said burnermeans, i

a needle valve seat in said flow line,

a needle valve in said flow line operable with said valve seat and withmanual means for adjusting the same, said flow line being provided witha vent opening, means positioning a portion of said flow line in directcontact with a portion of said housing to receive heat therefrom byconduction for heating said valve seat, and means on said housingengageable with said flow line to hold it against movement relativethereto. 12. In a needle valve assembly for a fuel oil burner V of thetype used out-of-doors' in cold temperatures:

an elongated fuel flow line defining an irregular path,

means for attaching said flow line to a source of fuel pp y,

said flow line being provided with a vent opening remote from its pointof attachment to a source 'of fuel supply,

said flow line having a discharge end adapted for disposition inoperable relationship to a burner-unit,

a needle valve seat in said flow line spaced from said discharge end,

a needle valve in said flow line operable with said valve seat,

means for adjusting said needle valve relative to said valve seat, and

said flow line being provided with means to receive heat supplied by theburner unit with which said discharge end is associated for heating saidvalve JAMES w, wEsTn vER, Pr i maiy Examiner.

1. IN A HEATER UNIT OF THE TYPE DESIGNED FOR USE OUTOF-DOORS IN COLDTEMPERATURES TO KEEP WATER FROM FREEZING IN A TANK OR TROUGH, SAIDHEATER HAVING A SUBMERSIBLE HOUSING, A FUEL OIL BURNER MEANS FOR HEATINGSAID HOUSING AND A FUEL OIL RESERVOIR EXPOSED TO THE ATMOSPHERE, THECOMBINATION THEREWITH OF AN IMPROVED NEEDLE VALVE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: AFUEL OIL FLOW LINE CONNECTED FOR FLOW COMMUNICATION TO SAID RESERVOIRAND HAVING A DISCHARGE END DISPOSED IN OPERABLE RELATIONSHIP RELATIVE TOSAID BURNER MEANS, A NEEDLE VALVE SEAT IN SAID FLOW LINE, A NEEDLE VALVEIN SAID FLOW LINE OPERABLE WITH SAID VALVE SEAT AND WITH MANUAL MEANSFOR ADJUSTING THE SAME, SAID FLOW LINE BEING PROVIDED WITH A VENTOPENING, AND MEANS POSITIONING A PORTION OF SAID FLOW LINE IN DIRECTCONTACT WITH A PORTION OF SAID HOUSING TO RECEIVE HEAT THEREFROM BYCONDUCTION FOR HEATING SAID VALVE SEAT.